I'm 5'6 1/2 and I have a 17" Trek 7.5FX. In addition to when you test ride the bikes and get a feel for them, a good bike shop should be able to make sure that the bike is the right size for you. They'll make sure that your arms and legs are at the right angles when you ride.

I have nothing but positive things to say about my 7.5FX. I love it so much. I have even converted my dad into a bike rider--my brother and I bought him a 7.3FX for his birthday several months ago and he rides it every other day. And, one of my coworkers just bought a Trek because he kept hearing me rave about mine. Hm...I'm beginning to think that Trek should pay me a commission.

I ride several times a week and am now also considering using my bike to commute to work, if I can get over my fear of the crazy drivers. The 7.5FX is a zippy, fun bike. It rides smoothly, shifts cleanly, and is just an absolute joy. Having previously only ridden a mountain bike, I was concerned about getting a flat tire when driving over gritty areas, but so far, so good.

I also looked at the Cannondale and Specialized hybrids. The frames on the Cannondales seemed chunky and I wasn't a fan of the overly girly color schemes (They were white with either peach or bright pink. Not my style.) The Specialized hybrids didn't wow me, even though they are perfectly fine bikes. The Trek just fit me better and I liked how I felt when I was riding it.

Like you, I was put off by the curled handlebars of a road bike and thought that kind of bike would be too aggressive for my riding and beyond my comfort level, so I went with a hybrid. But now, I'm thinking I could really get some use out of a road bike, and might buy one in a year or so. I don't regret my hybrid purchase at all, I'm just saying that you might not want to discount the idea as quickly as I did.